Orthopedic appliance



Feb., 9, l1943.

E. wYAN-r ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE .Filed May 26, A19.41

F1a. M

l lIVENl-on ERED WYANT Patented Feb. 9, 1943 omino smres PATENT orner:

ORTHQPEDIC APPLIANCE Fred E. Wyant, Anderson, Ind. Application May 26, 1941, Serial N0. 395,145

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in foot corrective appliances.

A normal and healthy condition of the foot is that wherein the numerous bones thereof joined by cartilages may give an elasticity to the step; the ball receiving the weight first, the sole broadening and lengthening, the toes spreading, the muscles all coming into play With the three arches of the instep, diffusing and `breaking the jar; the heel then settling down under the final burden and aifcrding a rm support.

In the use of foot wear of any description which results in unnatural poise of the foot, the normal action of the several parts thereof, due to their being malpcsitioned, are so interfered with, that discomfort immediately results; and if the cause of the interference is persisted in, chronic deformation and derangem ent of the bones and connective tissues follow. In turn, these derangements cause persistent disturbance of normal and healthy articulation of the bones of the limbsand of the lumbar region; namely, the talus, ti-b-ia, bula, and femur; and through the ilium to the saorum, disturbing the relation of the latter with the lum-bar vertebrae. These disturbances whether primary or advanced in character, give rise to painrand discomfort of the entire humanA system.

The foot deformations and derangements referred to are especially difcult of correction for the reason that the use of the feet under adverse conditions disturbing their proper poise, generally results in the letting down and impairment of one or more of the arches which in turn results in involvement of the talus and the calcaneous or heel bone, causing them to become malpositioned, and thereby, the normal functioning of all of the foot bones being most seriously interrupted.-

In maturing my enorts to afford relief from the discomforts and suffering incident to derangements of the kind above referred to, the object of my invention is to provide a device, which for brevity may be called a relief and corrective pad,

which is adapted to be applied and Worn in positionv related to the sole of the foot, its function being to so effect a correcting of positioning of the bones and connective tissues, as to contribute to natures restoration and normal stabilization of the points of articulation of all of the bones.

The said Igeneral object, aswell as other and more specific aims of my invention, as will presently appear, are accomplished by the new construction, combination and arrangement of parts described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

line Ti--l the neck portion.

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the anatomy of the human foot.

' Figure 2 is a side view illustrating the anatomy of the foot, viewed in the direction of arrow 2 in Figure 1', and the iiesh contour being shown in outline.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but depicting the changed positions of the bones incident to derangen'ient.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my improved relief and correctivepad, same being applied in pairs, one right and one left, the one shown being for the right foot.

Figure 5 is a side view taken in the direction of arrow 5 in Figure .4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the broken .line (if-6 in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional transverse view taken on theline 'l-1 in Figure 4. Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on Vthe line 8.-18 in Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of my invention,

las seen in the directionof arrow 9 in Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the pad in position as app-lied tol the sole of the foot, the latter being indicated `by broken lines whereby the position of the pad and its marginal outlines with relation to the several bones of the foot, are made clear.

Figure 1l is a bottom plan view o-f Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the anatomy of the limb and pelvis.

My improved relief pads are supplied in pairs.

HEach pad is similar to theother in design and function, one being for the right foot and the other for the left. The pad selected for illustration herein is Vfor the rightfoot. It is ofthe outline formation in plan as shown in Figure 4, the

broken line 6 6 indicating the forward portion; portion, andline 8-8 the rear The body structure of my new pad consists of resilient spongiformv material referred to herein as sponge rubber, and which is formed by molding, into the shape illustrated, its bottom surface being flat, as at A. Its upper surface is of the convex formation in cross section at the forward portion tas shown in Figure 6; and at the neck portion l--T and at the median portion lll-l0 as shown in Figure 7, in each instance the said convex contour flowing gradually to a feather edge .thinness at the boundary line. The rearportion 'al-f8 of said pad is .of the formation in crosssection as indicated in Figure 8, the inner upright edge B of same being substantially at a right angle to the plane of the bottom of said pad, and the top surface receding in a downwardly directed curve to a feather edge thinness at the boundary line of said pad. The contour longitudinally, of the top surface of said pad, is indicated in Figure 5, the peak of the neck portion 'l-l being slightly higher than the peak of the forward portion 6-6; and the peak of the median portion lli-IU and rearward portion 8-8 being slightly higher than the peak of the said neck portion.

Provided in the top surface of the said sponge rubber body structure above described, are cup like depressions C, spaced and located substantially as shown, each being preferably circular in plan formation.

A coating of moisture proof material D, pref erably lacquer, is applied to the surface of each of the said recesses C. After this coating of lacquer will have set or hardened, a coating E of latex is applied over the top surface and the bottom surface of said lacquered body structure, and over the lacquered surfaces of said recesses. After the said latex will have set a predetermined length of time, a sheathing F of suitable formation to cover the top surface of the said body structure, as shown in Figure 4, is applied directly upon the said latex coating. This sheathing is of a durable soft pliant material such as calf skin, chamois skin or the like and it is provided with perforations G which are spaced and are of formation to register with the aforesaid recesses C. The several interconnected elements just described are then subjected to heat treatment whereby same become tenaciously mutually combined or united into unitary form constituting the completed pad as described.

The effect of this combination is, that whereas the pad is possessed of the desired cushioning quality, it is preventive of the entry of any moisture into the spongiform body structure, thereby avoiding odor and assuring against decadence of the structure. Also there is the prevention of entry of air under the sheathing and the affording of a vacuum effect at the said recesses C. Accordingly the pad is comfortable to wear, and sanitary, and there is such cohering of same to the position in which it is disposed, that tendency to creep or work from its said position is avoided.

The said structure, in addition to the above named advantages, lends itself to facility for practicably rendering the pad attractive and distinguished in identity. Such color as may be desired, and which is made inherent in the latex coating, is used to indicate or identify the right pad, and a different color is used to indicate or identify the left pad. This advantage is considered important when it is appreciated that the applying of markings to the surface of theV sheathing would involve special and relatively expensive processes of printing or impressing; and moreover, such surface designations would, by reason of the wear to which the pad is subjected, become practically obscured within a;

relatively short time.

Prefatory to describing the mode of using, and the functions of said pad, reference is made to Figure 1, wherein MI, M2', M3, M4, and M5 indicate the first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsals respectively. PI, P2, P3, P4 and P5 indicate the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth phalanges, respectively. Cl, C2, and C3 indicate the first, second and third cuneiform bones respectively. N Vdenotes the navicular; CU, the

cuboid; T, the talus; and H, the heel bone or calcaneous.

My improved relief and corrective pad, in applied position, appears as in Figures 10 and 11, it being directly underneath the sole. Suction which is incident to the expulsion of air from the vacuum recesses at the cups C causes the pad to be stayed. That is to say-to be sufficiently held that tendency to creep or work from its position is overcome. As will be observed in reading Figure 10, the forward portion 6-6 of the pad resides beneath the jointures of the second, third, and fourth toe bones (phalanges) with the distal ends of the second, third, and fourth foot bones (metatarsals). The neck portion 1-1 resides at the zone immediately at the rear of the heads of the second, and third and fourth foot bones, and clear of the heads of the first, fourth and fifth foot bones (metatarsals). The rear portion 8-8 of said pad resides underneath that portion of the arch structure which comprises the first, second, and third cuneiform, and the medial portion of the cuboid bone, and that portion of the ankle structure comprising the navicular; thereby supporting the rear ends of the first, second, third, and fourth foot bones.

By the use of my improved orthopedic appliance, there is the support of the jointures of the toe bones of the second, third and fourth foot bones; support of the body portions of the said foot bones, and support of the jointures of the rear portions of said foot bones with the first, second and third cuneiform and medial one half of the cuboid bones, the navicular, and indirectly the calcaneous and talus 0f the ankle structure, this creating a better articulation of these several bones, and of the several superposed bones of the leg and thigh (see Figure 12), and contributing to restoration of the longitudinal, transverse, and metatarsal arches.

Due to the relief afforded, the heel and toe portions of the foot are enabled to function more nearly normally, the foot bones and phalanges receiving the transmission of energy from the talus normally. The several bones being now in corrected positions, there is relief from discomfort incident to strains and pressures on ligaments, tissues and nerves, and facility is afforded and maintained whereby natural processes of restoration to healthy condition may proceed.

It will be understood that the invention is capable of being modified in minor particulars without departing from the spirit or principle thereof, and I wish the invention to be construed as of the scope defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention, is-

1. An orthopedic pad consisting of a at bottomed spongiform body structure having its forward portion of predetermined thickness and width, the top surface thereof being of convex formation transversely, the inner lateral edge thereof being straight, the frontal edge thereof being straight, and the outer lateral edge thereof being curvate in plan formation and each of said edges being of feather edge thinness at its boundary line, a neck portion of thickness slightly greater and of width less than the thickness and width respectively of, but which is similar in cross-section to the cross section formation of the said forward portion, a median and rear portion of thickness and width increased.` over the thickness and width respectively of said neck portion, the top surface of said median portion, and of said rear portion being convex longitudinally and convex transversely, each of the edges of said median portion, and the outer lateral edge of the rear portion being curvate in plan formation and of feather edge thinness, and the inner lateral edge of the said rear portion being of predetermined thickness and inclined rearwardly away from the longitudinal axis of said body, and there being cup shaped recesses in the top surface of the forward portion of said body, and cup shaped recesses in the top surface of the rearward portion of said body, a moisture proof coating applied to the surfaces of said recesses, a coating of latex to invest said body and the coatings of said recesses, and a cover sheathing of soft pliant material integrated with the coating of the surface of said body and having perforations spaced therein to register with the aforesaid recesses.

2. An orthopedic pad consisting of a at bottomed spongiform body structure, an impervious coating thereon, a cover sheathing of soft pliant material integrated with said coating and having spaced perforations therein at the forward portion and at the rearward portion of said body, the forward portion of said body being of predetermined thicknes, its top surface being of convex formation transversely, its inner lateral edge being straight, its frontal edge being straight, and its outer lateral edge being curvate,

and each of said edges being of feather edge thin-v ness, the said forward portion constituting a riser for the jointures of the second and third toe bones with the second and third foot bones, a neck portion of thickness slightly greater and of width less than the thickness and width respectively, but which is similar in cross section to the cross section formation of the said forward portion, constituting a riser for the body portions of the said second and third foot bones, a median portion and a rear portion of thickness and width increased over the thickness and width respectively of said neck portion, the top surface of said median and rear portion being convex longitudinally and convex transversely, the outer lateral edge, each of the edges of the median portion, and the outer lateral edge of the rear portion being curvate in plan'formation and of feather edge thinness, and the inner lateral edge of the said rear portion being of predetermined thickness and inclined rearwardly away the longitudinal axis of said body, constituting a riser for the jointures of the rear portions of the rst, second and third foot bones with the first, second and third cuneiform bones, the

navicular bone, and medial one half of the cuboidv bone.

FRED E. WYANT. 

